Programs

Note:

Bartram Bio Bash 2026
September 25–27, 2026
Fontainebleau State Park (Group Camp #3)
Mandeville, Louisiana

Join Pelican Park, Fontainebleau State Park, and Wild Ones Pontchartrain Basin for an immersive weekend exploring Louisiana's incredible natural world!

Come for the day or stay the weekend in our on-site campground or dormitory. From expert-led presentations and guided hikes to field excursions and scenic paddles, the Bartram Bio Bash has something for every nature lover!

Registration
Weekend Pass (No Lodging): FREE
Weekend Pass + Tent Camping: $35/person (Kids under 10 free)
Weekend Pass + Dormitory Bed: $75/person (Ages 18+ only)

Registration covers one person for both nights, and light food is provided for all registered participants, regardless of registration type.

Friday, September 25

3:00pm Camp Check-In (late arrivals until 9:00 PM)
6:30pm Keynote: The Historic Natural Character of St. Tammany Parish — Latimore Smith
8:00pm Night & Bat Hike — Dr. Craig Hood
8:00pm Moth Sheeting — Linda Auld & Bill Wimley
Observe moths and other nocturnal insects attracted to illuminated sheets.

Saturday, September 26
7:00am Coffee & Donuts
7:00am Bird Walk — Shae Freeman
8:30am Yoga — Liz Zereteke
9:00am Medicinal & Edible Louisiana Plants — Sophia Forstall
9:45am Louisiana Mushrooms — Jordan Gros
10:00am Nature Journaling — Alicia Barnes
10:00am Kids Scavenger Hunt — Ranger Garrett
10:00am Insects: A Natural History Tour of Form and Function — Bill Wimley
10:00am Exhibitor Expo featuring local businesses and conservation organizations.
11:00am On Wings of a Prayer (Butterflies) — Craig Marks
11:00am Medicinal Plants & Mushroom Hike — Sophia Forstall & Jordan Gros
11:30am Kids Art Activity — Stephanie Head
1:00pm St. Tammany Parish Adopt a Pond Program — Carol Franze & Shannon Leger
1:00pm Live Animals — Nature on the Geaux
1:00pm Insect & Nature Hike — Linda Auld & Craig Marks
2:00pm Venomous Snakes of Louisiana — Alex Landry
3:00pm Planting Our Future — Dr. Eva Hillmann
3:00pm Pond Ecology & Dip Netting — Lisa Landry
3:00pmSmall Scale Wonders of the Natural World — Nate Bonnett
4:00pm Bats — Becky Larkins
4:30pm Rewilding Our Neighborhoods: Why Native Plants Matter — Erin Staub
5:00pm Moonlight Paddle (additional registration required at www.canoeandtrail.com/bartrambiobash)
6:00pm Kids Crepuscular Hike — Ranger Garrett Shelton
6:15pm Luminescence & Fluorescence in Nature — Leon Zebrick
7:00pm Keynote: Fireside Storytelling — Grayhawk Perkins
9:00pm Night Hike
9:00pm Moth Sheeting — Linda Auld & Bill Wimley

Sunday, September 27
7:30am Coffee & Donuts
10:00am Longleaf Pine Hike — Southern Wild (location TBD)
10:00am Paddle Cane Bayou — Canoe & Trail Adventures (additional registration required at www.canoeandtrail.com/bartrambiobash)
10:00am Plants with a Purpose — Ranger Garrett Shelton, Fontainebleau State Park Visitor Center